Boiler-tube-cleaning apparatus.



No. 638,225. Patented Dec. 5, I399. w. m; FABER, m. BOILER TUBECLEANINGAPPABATUS.

(Application filed Mar. 31, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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PATENT W tries.

BOILER-TUBE-CLEANI NG APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,225, dated December5, 1899.

Application filed March 31, 1898. Serial No. 675,874. (No model-l To allwhom/ it nutty concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. FABER, Jr., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented or discovered a new and useful Improvementin Boiler-Tube- Cleaning Apparatus, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1represents a cross-section taken through the u pper drum of a water-tubeboiler, showing my apparatus in position for operation with thecleaning-tool inserted part way into one of the tubes. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section at right angles to Fig. 1, showing the apparatus inside elevation. Fig. 3 is a plan view indicated by the line III III ofFig. 2. Fig. lis a sectional detail View of the housing anddriving-Wheel. Fig. 5 is a detail view of one section of the flexibleshafting.

My invention relates to mechanism for manipulating and drivingboiler-tube-cleaners, and is designed more especially for that type ofboilers in which the tubes spring from main drums at varying angles,requiring frequent change in the position of the driving mechanism. 1

In the present case I have shown my apparatus adapted to impart rotarymotion to a tool A, which may be of any preferred design adapted toremove the scale from the interior of the tube while being rotated at ahigh speed as it is advanced through the tube. Owing to the frequentbends in the tubes it is desirable that the tool shall be connected withthe driving mechanism by flexible shat-ting, and I have therefore used aseries of shortsections of pipe 2 and 3, connected at 4: by a universaljoint. These sections are provided at their ends with male and femalecoupling members 5 6, respectively, the male member being provided witha spring-controlled button 7, adapted to enter a corresponding recess 8in the female member, thus securing the parts together. Each of thepipe-sections 2 is provided with an encircling shield or fender 9, bywhich the various sections are maintained in an approximately centralposition in the tube, these fenders being held against longitudinalmovement by cotter-pins 10.

Referring to the driving mechanism,ll II are the lateral legs of atripod, sharpened at their ends, each leg being formed in two parts andconnected by a turnbuckle 12, engaging right and left hand threads. Attheir bases these members are connected by the crossbrace l3, and at theupper portion they are hinged to the cross-head 14, bearing against theupper shell of the drum. In practice two of such tripods are employed,firmly braced at each end of the drum, and passing through the heads 14,extending from end to end of the drum, is the rod 15, preferablycomposed of a heavy pipe-section held in position by set-screws 16.Suspended from such cross-shaft are the bars 17, pivotally connected at13 to a housing 19, having a lower cap 20, within which housing isrotatively mounted the grooved sheave wheel or pulley 21, having anupward extension 22 journaled within the housing. This hub extension isbored out to receive the shaft 23', having a longitudinal keyway 24 inengagement with a key 25, mountedin the hub extension and retained inposition by a plate 26, secured to the hub. It will be seen that whenthe grooved sheave-wheel 21 is rotated the motion will be transmitted tothe shaft 23 and from it through the flexible shafting to thecutting-tool A. Such rotation is imparted to the pulley by an endlesscable 27,driven from any source of pow er,such as the wheel 28.

Inthe operation of the machine the housing is set so as to aline withthe centers of a longitudinal row of tubes, such position beiugcontrolled and regulated by the adjusting-links 29, pivoted to thehousing at 30 and capable of adjustment by bolts 31, passing through theslots 32 and the main arm 17.

Itwill be seen that in the progress of the machine to successivepositions throughout the length ofthe drum provision must be made forthe extension of the cable, and this I have done in thefollowing manner:33 isa bracket adapted to be clamped to the flange of the manhole of theboiler-head by setscrews 34, its outer end being supported by a yoke 35,attached from any convenient point. Within this bracket 33 are mountedthe sheave-wheels 36 and 37 side by side and similar wheel 38 in linewith wheel 36. The

cable is passed from the driving-wheel 28, over wheel 37, around thepulley 21, back to wheel 38, when it is looped downwardly around wheel39, and up and over wheel 36 to the driving-wheel. The wheel 39 ismounted within a pulley-block 40, to the lower end of which is suspendeda weight 41 sufficiently heavy to exert a constant tension on the cable.The pulley-block and weight will rise and fall according to the varyingposition of the pulley 21.

The shaft 23 is of sufficient length to permit of a downward travelapproximately equal to or slightly greater than the length of one of thesections of the flexible shafting, so that it may be raised from thelowest position to the highest and a new section inserted. The raisingoperation is facilitated by means of a swivel 42, secured to the top ofthe shaft, through which a rope may-be passed and led up over the pipe15. Downward travel may be assisted by pressure on the top of the shaft.

By myimproved construction it will be seen that provision is madewhereby the housing and its contained shafting may be located at anydesired position in the drum either by means of the arms 17 and links 29or by position may be quickly andeasilymade, while the space occupiedleaves plenty of room for the workman.

'WVh-ile I have shown my apparatusas used in the drum ofawater-tubeboiler, it is'-obvious that it may be as readily adapted toother constructions, and such and other changes thatwill suggestthemselves to the skilled mechanic I 'desire to include within the scopeof my invention.

Having described my inventionywhat' I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent,

1. Mechanism for operating a tube-cleaning tool consisting of a shafthaving a flexible connection for a tool, a cable-driven pulley connectedwith the shaft, a housing for the pulleyand a bar and arms connectedtherewvith for supporting the housing in varying positions,-substantiallyas set forth.

- 2. Mechanism for operating a tube-clean- ,ing tool consisting of ashaft having a'fiexible pulley, supporting-arms depending from alongitudinal bar'and adjusting-links secured to the housing and to thearms, substantially as set forth.

'lnmechanism for operatinga tubec1eaning tool: a longitudinal barmounted in supportmg-heads having upper bearing-faces,ex-

t ensiblediverging legs attached to lateral lugs in theheads, adapted tobear against the boiler-drum and to clamp the heads in position,andsupporting-arms slidingly mounted on the bar and attached to a housingsupport in g the driving mechanism adapted to operate the tool,substantially as set forth.

4. In mechanism for operatinga tube-cleaning tool: a longitudinal barmounted in supporting-heads, extensible diverging legs attached to theheads adapted to bear against the boiler-drum and to clamp the heads inposition, supporting-arms slidingly mounted on the bar and attached to ahousing supporting a cable-driven pulley connected with the tool-drivingshaft, with supplemental links adjustably connected to the arms andhousing, substantiallyas set-forth.

5. In tube-cleaning apparatus, a two-part housing adapted tobe-adjustably mounted inside aboiler-drum: a grooved pulley mounted inthehousing and adapted to be rotated therein by-a driving-cable, atool-shaft passingthrough the pulley and havingakey connection'therewith, sustaining-arms attached to the housing and slidingly mountedon a longitudinal bar, and supporting-framework for thebar,substantially-as set forth.

6. A tube-cleaning apparatus: having the flexible shafting adapted toenter the tubes and consistingof sections of pipe having an interveninguniversal joint, an alining fender embracing one of the sections,andmeans for securing the sections of shaftin g together, substantiallyasset forth.

' 7. --A tube-cleaningapparatus having the flexible sha-fting adaptedtoenter the tubes and consisting of sectionsof-pipe having anintervening universal joint,- an-aliningfender embracing one of thesections, and a projecting stud provided withaspring-controlled buttonatone end anda receiving-socket at the opposite end of such sections;substam tially-as set forth.

"8. Incom'bination with=a grooved'spulley mounted in a housing, saidpulley being op eratively connected wi'tha flue-cleaning: device adaptedto be located insideiasiboiler drum and driven bya cable::.-a:bracketsecured to the drum adjacent to the manhole and sheave-Wheels mountedtherein adapted to support the cable, s'ubstantia'llyas set forth.

9. In combination with agrooved pulley mounted in a housing, said pulleybeing op eratively'connectedwv-ith aflue-cleaning *de- "viceadapted tobe located inside a boiler ed therein and a third sheave-wheelinalinement with one'of the wheels with a-dependin g pulley-block andweight having a sheavewvheel' engaging the cableto take up the slack,

substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto-set my hand.

WILLIAM M. FABER, JR.

' Witnesses PETER J. EDWARDS, O. M. CLARKE.

